_{By Joseph Hawkins}

Jordan Moyes showcased his immaculately delicate vocal talent to the world as a contestant on American Idol in 2020 (despite how many people ask him about being on The Voice all the time). But Moyes is more than just a pretty face on your mom’s favorite singing show.

His guitar work is spectacularly tasteful, as anyone who’s seen him play live would corroborate. He uses both his guitar and singing prowess in The King Will Come, co-writes with musical powerhouses like Ashley Hess (check out their song, “Little Things”), and was even a finalist in Velour’s Winter 2022 Battle of the Bands — all of which make him widely recognizable in the Provo scene.

Moyes also stands out from the crowd of indie folk/singer-songwriter musicians thanks to his success on social media — specifically TikTok. I’m confident that almost every musician worldwide has heard some distant relative’s opinion of how “you need to be on TikTok to get famous.” Whether you care about fame or not, it’s usually an annoying sentiment. That’s why I mostly ignored that advice — that is, until Moyes gave me the same. He’s a big believer in using TikTok to find new fans and speaks from personal experience with his 11k followers and 132k likes to date.

There is a reason why Moyes excels. To quote an American Idol judge: “Your guitar playing, and your singing, and delivery; it screams ‘massive songwriter.’” His writing powerfully moves the people it reaches. He’s a songwriter’s songwriter, an artist’s artist. Moyes’ magic stems from his memorability. The simplicity and intelligence of his choices melodically, instrumentally, and lyrically have a sticking power. I hear one of his songs once, and it’s with me forever. Unfortunately, that’s not always the norm on social media these days.

“I think we’re in a plague of overplaying and overproducing,” says Moyes, referring specifically to the TikTokification of music. “We see a lot of people trying to cram every guitar lick into fifteen seconds as possible. But I’m a big fan of space in music — I want my music to be listenable.”

Moyes is definitely listenable. He’s also kind and overwhelmingingly generous in sharing his insights with fellow musicians. Moyes is a veritable goldmine. “I genuinely believe that a rising tide raises all ships,” he says. On more than one occasion, he has shared that the Provo music scene changed his life.

“It’s made it hard to picture leaving and doing what I’m doing in another place when I think of the talent, resources, and support of people who do everything they do,” he continues. “It’s really rare for a scene to have a Cayson Renshaw, and a Garon Brett, and all the rest.”

But even in the midst of incredible musicians, Moyes is no stranger to the feelings of burnout and having a difficult time getting the words out. His latest single, “Driveway,” speaks to this feeling — that you’re always one step behind the musical inspiration you hear in others’ work.

I always feel I’m wasting time / floating around in the television lines / Lost in a daze ‘til it grabs you tight / you try to catch it in stride / But I can tell it’s not the same as what I felt

“I’ve had too many songs come to me in a magical way, where I wrote a song in ten minutes, and every lyric was the first thing that came to me,” says Moyes. “It’s really hard when you have those experiences to not look for that every time.” Moyes has also spent months writing songs, with several versions and drafts – even wondering if he’s wasting his time. “But I have to constantly remind myself: I truly believe there can always be a better version of something. I don’t feel there’s a final or definitive form of a song. And sometimes you can do it too much where you spend far too much time chasing one idea, so there’s definitely a delicate balance to it.”

“Driveway” perfectly straddles that balance. A slow build into the most triumphantly explosive moment in Moyes’ discography, it’s the perfect song for when you’re feeling lost late at night.

Speaking to those who may feel a little lost or out of ideas, Moyes shares: “I don’t know that anyone has cracked the code of how to routinely put themselves in that place [of finding inspiration]. But when it comes, try to ride that wave as long as you can. I often think: How many songs could have changed so many people’s lives, but were never heard, because they are unfinished or never released? Don’t wait for the perfect moment, or the perfect project, or the perfect sound.”

Make sure to follow Jordan Moyes on Instagram. Stream his song “Driveway” below.